Before I start...big thanks to Malachite, Rin, OrliB4ever, Rebecca Blynx, Fool of a Took, Kat Heiman, and of course, WildMage42, for leaving very nice reviews!! Back to the story...

Chapter Fifteen: The Cards Are Dealt Wrong

The grandfather clock in the common room struck noon. Draco turned in surprise toward the creaking, opening door, then scowled at the two boys as they entered the common room. "Crabbe! Goyle!" They jumped noticeably. "Where were you? Andromeda and I have been searching Hogwarts all morning!"

They looked at each other dumbly, then Crabbe spoke up. "Ur...we were in the library--"

"Spying on Harry Potter," Goyle finished. I turned questioning eyes on Draco. Had he ordered the duo to spy? Apparently not, as Draco seemed as shocked as I was.

"Spying on Harry Potter...," Draco muttered in confusion. "Did you come up with that idea...on your own?"

Goyle began: "Yes--"

But Crabbe quickly cut in: "Sort of. We were returning those books you borrowed, they were really overdue, and we heard Potter and his gang talking about something really interesting--"

"That we thought you'd want to know about."

Draco thought about this for a moment. "Well, what was it?"

"They were talking about the Philosopher's Stone!" Goyle exclaimed.

"What's wrong with that?" I asked. "Lots of people talk about that, I bet."

Goyle shrugged, avoiding my eyes. "They think it's hidden somewhere in the school. They meet in the library all the time, and try to find stuff about this guy, Nicolas Flamel. They're being all secretive, but it's not hard to listen in while they talk."

Draco and I just stared. Finally, the absurdity of it all sank in, and I snorted loudly. "Oh, right. A Philosopher's Stone, in Hogwarts. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! What have you learnt all year, how to tell stories? Pff! They won't find a Philosopher's Stone here. There's only one, and Nicolas Flamel isn't going to just give it away."

"Maybe," said Draco thoughtfully, "someone stole it from him."

"And then brought it to Hogwarts? Dumbledore would know instantly, and make them return it," I replied. Draco nodded in agreement, seeing my point.

Crabbe scrunched his eyebrows together. "Maybe, Dumbledore stole it."

And Goyle added, "Or maybe Dumbledore is Nicolas Flamel, in disguise."

Draco sneered in disbelief, and snapped, "Would you two just stop talking please? This is getting ridiculous! As far as you're concerned, there is no Stone! Leave it at that!" Crabbe and Goyle trudged out of the room, only to return a few moments later carrying large stacks of books.

"Umm, these are for you," Crabbe said. "To help you study." Then they retreated into the dorms before Draco could yell at them any more. The latter picked up each book, reading the titles.

"Well...Help With Herbology, Goblin Revolutions Made Interesting, Perfecting Your Potions. Hey! My potions are just fine, who does Crabbe think he is, trying to--"

"Trying to help," I interrupted. "He said so. Really, do you think he'd actually try to insult you? Besides, you could use a little studying. You know that I do most of the work in Potions class, so what would happen if you didn't have my help?"

"But Professor Snape said I was one of the 'select few.' He was looking right at me!" Draco said indignantly.

"Sorry, but he was looking at me. Admit it, I have higher marks," I cajoled. He just rolled his eyes. "Okay then, answer this: how precisely does powdered unicorn horn have to be measured?"

He bit his lower lip in thought, then asked, "To the nearest ounce?"

"Sure," I said, "but only if you want to fail the exam. It ought to be measured to the nearest dram, or it won't turn out right." Draco scowled and started reading. Seeing that he should be left alone for a while (at least five minutes), I went to the other side of the common room and pulled out a deck of cards to play solitaire. The royalty had wizard-picture faces, but aside from that it was the same as the Muggle version of cards.

As soon as I had pulled the aces out and dealt the remaining cards into eight stacks, Crabbe and Goyle walked into the common room again, mumbling about finding something to eat in the Great Hall.

Suddenly, Goyle noticed my card game. "Beleaguered Castle!" he exclaimed, then clamped his mouth shut and cringed.

"Oh, you like solitaire, too?" I asked, ignoring his cringing. "Maybe you could teach me some new variations." Most people I met didn't have the patience for one-player, non-magical card games, and even fewer could recognize a specific game at first glance.

"Ur, uh...no! I-don't-play-solitaire! My...my-house-elf-does!" he blurted, then bolted for the door.

When he and Crabbe had left, I just sat there thinking, "What in blazes...?" It was all extremely suspicious...house elves don't, or at least, shouldn't play cards...and why would Goyle even say that in the first place? Honestly, you'd think he'd be proud of knowing something for a change.

I glanced down at my cards again, to find the Knave of Wands grinning and waving a roll of parchment at me. "What are you so happy about?" I thought, knowing full well that the Knave of Wands always looked like that. It just didn't seem fair; cards are always being slapped around and thrown through the air and stuffed into a tiny little box, but they never mind.

I sighed, then turned towards Draco's end of the common room to ask him if he knew what was going on. In fact, he didn't seem to have noticed Goyle's puzzling behavior; he was intent on studying. Or moping. I wasn't sure which. So, I went back to my game of Beleaguered Castle. I knew I wasn't going to win; the cards were dealt all wrong. Felon sat on my lap purring, oblivious to my discontent.

The blazing fire eventually died down, and without a Fire Charm, I had no intention of trying to start it up again myself. I assumed that the House Elves had started the fire, as all of the older students were away for the holidays. Only, I didn't know how to summon a House Elf to do a chore for me; the more subtle they are, the better.

Anyway, it didn't really matter; it was lunchtime already, and anywhere else in the school would be much warmer than Slytherin Dungeon. I managed (quite easily) to liberate Draco from his reading, and we went to the Great Hall to eat.

Looking back, I realize that Crabbe and Goyle were not at lunch that day. Neither were Potter, Granger, Weasley, and Simmons. I can only guess that they were in the library; the latter searching for Nicholas Flamel, and the former spying on them. At the time, though, I thought nothing of it. Goodness, what did it really matter?

To Be Continued...

Disclaimer: I own Andromeda Zænidh, Felon the cat, and about anything you'd not find in Rowling's books. I don't own Beleaguered Castle, or the Wands suit. Wands is a different name for Spades. Simmons belongs to WildMage42; read the story Year of the Parselmouth. It is a very cool story! If you liked mine, you should like YotP. If you don't like mine, I don't know why you've read this far....? Anyway, leave reviews!!! I love nice reviews!!! Suggestions and/or complaints are welcome as well...I just want some kind of feedback.